Backed fabric belt making machine



Allg. 10, 1954' T, LEW

BACKED FABRIC BELT MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 26, 1950 INVENTOR 7705000196 Law BY TT NEY Aug. 10, 1954 T, L EWl v 2,685,908

BACKED FABRIC BELT MAKING MACHINE Filed June 2e, 195o v v 4 sheets-sheet 2 '211: g f8.9 134 Efo *V187 l Im!) /nllm Imm . HI INVENTQR ATTO NEY Aug. 10, 1954 T, lL QEW 2,685,908

BACKED FABRIC BELT MAKING MACHINE Filed June 2e, 195o 4 sheets-sheer s ATT RNEY Aug. 10, v1954 T, LOEW 2,685,908

' BACKED FABRIC BELT MAKING MACHINE Filed June 26, 195C 4 Sheets-heer 4 F 1 Si 8 Z0 y I lNvEN-roR /'leooaeen/ Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE BACKED FABRIC BELT MAKING MACHINE Theodore Loew, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Cee- Bee Manufacturing Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 26, 195o, serial No. 170,350

(o1. iai-1.8)

12 Claims. l

ment and connection therebetween.

Usually an excessive amount of manual labor is required with many operations and .uniformity is usually not obtained and there is ya higher rejection rate due to imperfections and excessive variation in size and quality.

Itis among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel system of belt making involving both machinery'and procedure in which the belts will be made at a relatively high rate with a minimum of manual intervention and a high degree of uniformity.

Another object is to provide a novel belt making system in which fabric belts with plastic backings are produced at a high rate with uniform size, dimensions and quality without substantial manual intervention and with a minimum of rejects.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by Way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory rst to form the plastic backing of a folded strip of fabric carrying a facing over the whole area or in localized stripes or spots of thermoplastic material. This thermoplastic backing strip is preferably fed continuously to the assembly unit where it is assembled with the fabric facing.

The fabric facing is fed intermittently in sections to be assembled with the plastic backing.

Desirably the fabric facing is first folded so that the sides thereof will be folded below the fabric face and such folded under portion then will be mounted upon the top of the plastic backing.

Desirably, after folding of the fabric facing strip, the forward corners thereof are folded under-to form a point and then the folded and pointed strip is passed over and under hot rollers 2 to complete the union of the fabric facing to the plastic backing strip.

In forming the point, as the folded fabric facing strip is advanced, rst one corner is moved downwardly and then under the fabric strip and then the other corner is moved downwardly and under the fabric strip and then the completely folded, pointed fabric strip is pressed down upon the plastic backing under substantial pressure.

If desired, the fabric facing may be fed intermittently manually or by automatic mechanism from a continuous strip of fabric material. After the adhesion has been completed between the fabric facing and the plastic backing, the strip may be cut into sections and then stitched together to form the final belt material.

A particularly important feature of the present invention resides in the assembly mechanism, according to which reciprocating blades are moved vertically against the forward corners of a folded fabric belt facing, so that the corner is first moved downwardly and then folded under as the belt section is moved forwardly just prior to assembly with the fabric backing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts `as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of belt assembling machine according to the present invention in which the cloth is fed in from the right and the plastic backing is fed upwardly from below.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a paper feed which may be mounted upon the top of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the upper portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 upon an enlarged scale as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the manner of operating the mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig, 5 is a top horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view showing the end of the belt partly formed.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 6, showing the belt after the next operation.

Fig. 8 is a top plan View of Figs. 6 and 7, showing the top formed portion of the belt lifted from the fabric backing sheet.

Fig. 9 is a side prospective view showing the manner in which the belt backing is fed upwardly to the assembly arrangement.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, the mechanism has a base A with a top frame E. As shown in Fig. i, there is a supply of the plastic backing material with a feed of cloth or facing material, indicated at D, from a supply not shown.

The finished belting material is removed as indicated in the direction E, as shown in Figs. i and 2.

The assembled belting material is indicated in three stages at F, G and H in Figs. c. 'l and The present invention is particularly directed to the folding and assembling arrangement indicated at J, in large scale in Fig. and in smaller scale in Figs. l and 2.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, the frame A the side members II resting upon the floor l5. rThe side leg members support the table l2. Upon the table I2 is supported the upper frame having the side vertical members I3 and the bottom cross member Ill and the top cross member i5.

The bottom frame A supports the shaft which carries the spool Il carrying the plastic backing, which may consist of woven cloth inipregnated with a thermoplastic, resinous material. As shown in Fig. 8, this material may consist of a back portion folded in, as indicated at 2B, to form a double-ply fabric, the edges of which meet at 2|.

Upon each face of the folded-in plies is the strip 22 of fusable, adhesive material which will enable attachment of the fabric 23 forming the face of the belt. As shown, the plastic backing material moves upwardly, as indicated at and through the opening 25 in the guide i5 mounted on the leg Il. The plastic material then moves through the guide member 27| to the guide roller 28 supported upon the bracket Z5 by the vertical. frame member I3. It then moves upwardly between the rollers 3c and 3| The roller 3| is an internally heated roller is mounted upon the shaft 32, carrying the gear wheel 33. The roller 3| may be internally heated by gas or electricity.

Contacting the roller il is the roller the shaft 3d of which rests in a bracket t5. rlhe pinion or sprocket 33 is driven by the continuous mesh or sprocket chain 35 which is driven from the lower sprocket 3l driven by the gear chain box 38.

As shown best in Fig. d, the gear chain box is supported upon the rails 59, which are in turn supported upon the side leg members of the lower frame A.

The gear chain box 36 is driven from the motor 5|, also supported upon said rails 55, having the shaft 52 and supplied by an electrical source rZhe shaft 52 carries the pulley 54 having the belt 55. The pulley 55 drives the shaft 5l extending into the gear chain box 38.

The clutch 59 is mounted upon an arm l. rhe arm su is pivotally mounted at 5| on the frame arm 62.

The clutch arm to is normally biased in the direction 53 by the coil spring cli. The coil spring E4 extends between the attachment |55 on the arm 55 and the attachment 5l on the bracket arm 62.

The end 5l of the arm 56 is connected by the link or rod t3, which is adjustable in. length, as indicated at 69. This link extends to the end lli of the throw-in clutch arm l I, which is pivotally mounted at 'I2 upon the side panels i3.

The arm 'II is connected by the rod le and the nut l5 to the reciprocating foot lever l5. The lever 16 has a foot contacting portion '17.

The other end of the arm or lever l5 has a pivotal mount 'It to the back panel portion i9. The lever 'lt has an opening Bil receiving the lower end 23| of the rod 82. An adjustment is provided by the nut 8E. The upper end of the rod 82 has a connection Sil to the link chain c5. The upper end of the mesh or sprocket chain 35 passes over the sprocket wheel on the shaft 8l.

The end 38 of the mesh or sprocket chain 85 is connected to the coil spring 55. The coil spring 89 at its end il@ is connected to the bar 5|, which is mounted upon the wall 9:2.

In operation, when the treadle 'll is presesd downwardly, as indicated by the arrow the clutch is engaged and the motor shaft 52 is caused to drive the gear box 38 through the belt 55 and the pulleys 54 and 5&5. At the same time the sprocket chain 35 will rotate the sprocket wheel This will cause the sprocket Wheel 3l (see Fig. l) to drive the hot roller 3l through the sprocket wheel 33, and the plastic backing will pass to the assembly device J between the hot roller 3| and the idler roller 35.

The cloth material 23 is fed in through the folding device H5, which receives the fabric 23 and guides it into the converging or funnel portion II I, causing the edges to fold inwardly and over each other, as indicated at ||2 in Fig. S.

The funnel ||I is supported, as indicated, by the bars I I2 (see Fig. 5) and is provided with the slot I I3 for observation of the fabric being folded and advanced in the direction lili (see Fig. 5l.

The folded fabric will then pass out over the tongue |I5 having folding edges IE5 and IVI.

The folding blades H8 and H9 will be pasitioned above the fabric being advanced across the extension plate or nose or tongue H5.

The folding blades I IS and I is have the oblique forward edges |25 and I2! and they are mounted. as indicated, by the screws |22 and |23 upon the arms |24 and |25. The arms lEfl and |25 are mounted upon the shafts |25 and |27 upon the side frame members |23 and |29.

The ends of the arms |24 and |25 carry the head members i3@ and |3| having the adjustable followers |32 and |33 which ride on the cams |34 and |35. The cams |55 and |35 ride on the main cam shaft 8l, which also carries the sprocket wheel 36.

rlhe funnel member supported by the legs ||2 upon the cross frame member |55 is reciprocated as indicated by the double-headed arrow I5| by the cam |52 on the cam shaft 81, which cam, as shown best in Fig. 3, has a long lobe |53.

The bracket member |55 has the collars |55 mounted thereon, which receive the ends |55 of the reciprocatory shafts |55. The shafts |55 slide in the collars |51, which are mounted upon the side frame members |28 and |29.

On the shafts |55 are the spring retainer collars |58 which press upon the coil springs 555. The other ends of the coil springs |59 will react against the collars |60, which are mounted by the members |6| from the side frame members |25 and The ends |62 of the reciprocatory shafts |56 have the adjustable set-screw connections |63 to the members |6| which permit the cross bar |64 to be moved forwardly and backwardly in respect to the cam |52.

In operation, the fabric is fed into the folder device H9 and projects past the tongue H5, but so that it projects past the oblique folding edges H6 and ||1 of the tongue H5. Then the treadle 11 is pressed down, causing the gear box 38 to drive the sprocket chain 36 through the sprocket wheel 31.

At the same time the lowering of the treadle 19 through the sprocket chain 95 will drive the sprocket wheel 86 and the cam shaft 81. This movement of the cam shaft 81 will first result in the lowering of the blade I9 from above to below the tongue I l5, causing the projecting corner |65 of the folded fabric to be folded at the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 6.

In the meanwhile the cam |52, acting upon the bar |64, will advance the tongue I5 carrying the fabric 23 up to and past the edge |29 of the blade H8, which will cause the corner |65 to be folded under as shown at |65 in Fig. 6 and also as indicated at |65 in Fig. 8.

As this occurs, the edge H1 of the tongue H5 will approach the edge |2| of the folding blade H9 and just before it reaches the edge |2| the blade H9 will pass below the tongue |5, folding down the other corner |66 of the fabric, as indicated in Figs. '7 and 8.

The folded corner then, as indicated at |61, will be advanced to the hot roller 9|, where it will be placed on top of the plastic strip 24, which will be made adhesive by the heat of the roller 3|.

The continuous plastic strip I9 with the assembled, folded fabric strip 23 will then pass over the electrically heated roller |69, which is mounted upon the shaft ISI. The shaft IBI bears in the slidable bearing member |82 between the vertical members I3 of the upper frame B.

The shaft |8| carries the sprocket |93 which is driven by the sprocket chain 36.

Upon the heated roller |86, as it receives the assembled, folded fabric 23 and plastic backing .|9, is the paper strip |94. The paper backing strip |8d is normally reeled fromthe paper reel |85 on the shaft |86 at the top of the frame B.

On the top of the paper frame B will be an upstanding bracket |81 having the mounting lug |98.

The paper passes downwardly, as shown in Fig. v

3, across the guide corner |89 onto the roller |89, as indicated at |99.

The roller |89 will pass the paper backing |89, the heated thermoplastic strip I9 and the folded fabric 23 onto the heated roller I9 I.

The heated roller |9| has the shaft |92 which carries the sprocket |93 driven by the sprocket chain 36. The shaft |92 has bearing mounts in the block |911 which are adjustable in the side frame members |3.

The heated strip with the paper backing, asindicated at |95, will then pass between the pressure rollers |96 and |91.

The pressure rollers have the shafts |98 and |99 which are fitted into the shaft |99 and are mounted in the arm 209 and has a sprocket 20! which is driven by the sprocket chain 262 through the shaft |92.

The upper pressure roller |99 has the shaft |98 which is pressed down by the coil spring 293 and the adjusting screw 294, so that there will be a tight contact at 205 where the thermoplastic folded strip I9 contacts the folded cloth strip 23 and assures that the adhesive material 22 in its 6 softened, adhesive condition will be pressed firmly against the folded portions I2 of the fabric strip 23.

By a stripper arrangement, not shown, at 296 the paper may be removed, as indicated at 201, and the assembled fabric and plastic backing may be removed as indicated at 298.

The adjustment, as indicated at 299, 2|9 and 2| upon the top cross member I5 will enable regulation of the pressure between the rollers |89, |9| and 3|, all of which rollers are electrically or gas heated.

Normally, the adhesive backing or thermoplastic strip I8 will be fed continuously while the cloth strip 23 will be fed intermittently through the funnel or folder member The corners |65 and |66 will be folded inwardly in succession by the blades I |8 and H9 under action of the arms |24 and |25 as the folder device i is moved forwardly by the cam |52 acting upon the cross bar |99.

When the folding is completed, as indicated in Fig. '7, the folded strip will then be placed upon the adhesive backing I8 and pass over the heated rollers i 89 and I9 I, with the assurance that there will be a permanent attachment between the fabric face and the plastic backing by the time the bight rollers |96 and |91 apply the nal pressure.

After the nished material is reeled, as indicated, from the position 298, the plastic material may be cut in strips and the fabric strip 23 may be stitched to the plastic backing I8.

Although the belting back material has been described as plastic material, it is also possible to utilize other backing materials which may or may not be laminated.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In a backed fabric belt making machine, feeder means for a strip of the fabric, a feeder for a strip of the plastic backing, a folder means for the fabric to fold the edges under and below the fabric face, second and third folder means for folding the forward corners of the fabric under and below the folded edges to point the forward end of the fabric, and assembling rolls to assemble the folded fabric with the backing, both said feeder means for said strip of fabric and for said strip of backing feeding said strip of fabric and said strip of backing horizontally in parallel with the strip of fabric being positioned above the strip of backing and said folder means folding said strip of fabric while above said strip of plastic backing and said assembling rolls serving to clamp the fabric to the plastic backing.

2. In a laminated backed fabric belt making machine, feeder means for a strip of the fabric, a feeder for a strip of the plastic backing, a folder means for the fabric to fold the edges under and below the fabric face, second and third folder means for folding the forward corners of the fabric under and below the folded edges to point the forward end of the fabric, and assembling rolls to assemble the folded fabric with the plastic backing, said rolls being heated to fuse the fabric and plastic backing together, both said feeder Ameans .-for.- saidfstripbf fabric andforsaid strip of backing feeding said strip ,of fabric and said strip of backing horizontally in parallel` with the strip of fabric.beingpositioned above the strip -of backing and saidifolder means folding said strip of fabric While above said strip of plastic backing and said assembling rolls serving to clamp the fabric to` the plastic backing.

3. In a laminated backed vfabric belt making machine, feede1'means.for. a strip .of the-fabric, a feeder fora strip of the -plastic backingy a folder for the fabric to fold the edges under and below the fabric face, second and third folder means for foldingthe forward i corners of the fabric under. and-below thefolde'd edges to point the forward 'end of the fabric, and assembling rolls to assemble the folded fabric with the plastic backing, said fabric being Afed intermittently and said plastic backingbeing fed continuously, both said feeder means for said strip of fabric and for said strip of backingfeeding said strip of fabric and. said strip `of backing horizontally in parallel with'the stripof fabric being positioned above the strip of backing. and said folder means folding Ysaid strip. of fabric while above said strip ofl plastic backing and said assembling rolls, serving to clamp the fabric to the plastic backing.

4. 1n a laminated backed fabric belt making machine, feeder means for a strip ofthe fabric, a feeder for a strip of the plastic backing'a folder' for theV fabric to fold the edges under and below `the fabricface, second and third folder means for folding the forward corners of the fabric under and below the folded edges to point the forward end of the fabric, and assembling rolls to assemble the folded fabric with the plastic backing and a pedal operated device to operate both of said feeder means, both said feeder means for said strip of fabric and for said strip of backing feeding said strip of fabric and said strip of backing horizontallyin parallel with the strip of fabric being positioned above thefstrip of backing and said folder means folding said strip of fabric while above said strip of plastic-backing and said assembling rolls serving-to clamp the fabric to the plastic backing.

5. A belt-making machine for folding a fabric facing for a belt and then assembling said fabric facing with a thermo-plastic backing which includes feed means for the fabric facing, side folder means for folding the edges of the fabric facing inwardly to obtain folds longitudinally of the fabric facing on the side toward the backing,

end folder means to-fold in one corner ofthe longitudinally folded facing and a second-.end

folder means to fold in the opposite forward corner lofthe folded facng Aand rollersto assemble the folded facingand backing, said .feed- -in succession. upon .the facing as it is being advanced. by the feedmeans for the facing and said rollers bringing `the facing andbacking together after the .folding has been completed.

6. The. machine of .claim 5, said assembling rolls being heated so that there will be heat adhesion between the thermo-plastic backing and the fabric facing.

7. The machineofclaim. 5, said-end folders acting in succession uponthe folded .corners of said longitudinally folded strip and consisting of oblique blades which engage the corners and then move the corners under the longitudinally folded fabric facing to give a pointed forward endto the fabric facing.

3. The machine of claim, said `side folder being a fixed member having a narrowing channel to cause thev side edges .of the fabricto fold inwardly and saidcorner folders being horizontally reciprocable and 'being provided with an actuating cam and a return spring arrangement.

9. The machine yof claim 5, said end folding meansconsisting .of reciprocating blades which first press down on the corners and .then 'press the corners under the longitudinally folded fabric.

19. In the machine of claim 5, means for feedingsaid .facing intermittentlyl and means for feeding said backing continuously'.

l1. Thegmachine ofY claim. 6, said end folder means'including folding blades and said machine including an extension t plate for holding said fabric while it isacted upon by said folding blades.

12.' The machine of `claimsaid machine including a forwardly .pointed extension plate being provided kfor supporting said longitudinally folded Afabric and said end folding means including folding blades for folding `saidcorners across the oblique edges of said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED" STATES 'PATENTS N1 mber Name Date 694,099 Hale. Feb.- 25, i902 1,014,055 Kessler Jan. 9, 1912 1,041,130 Maxwell et al Oct. 15, 1912 1,123,459 Wright Jan.. 5, 1915 1,279,036l String' Sept. 17, 1918 1,305,141 MacPherson May 27, 1919 2,266,953 Blue Dec.v 23, 1941 2,396,329 Lippmanny Mar. l2, 1945 2,484,901 Newton Oct; 18, 1949' 

